New iPhone 14’s Emergency SOS Could Be a Game Changer for Motorcyclists

Apple’s new Emergency SOS feature could make it a lot easier to get help if you crash in the wilderness.Photo: Apple

I’m usually the kind of person who waits as long as is reasonable to replace my iPhone, partly out of being miserly, partly out of a desire to reduce my environmental impact but mostly because I’m lazy. However, with the announcement of the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus and their Pro and Pro Max counterparts on Wednesday, I may be making an upgrade way ahead of schedule, and it’s because I ride a motorcycle.

What does being a motorcyclist have to do with it? I’ll explain. I live in LA and spend a lot of time riding in places like the Angeles National Forest, which is largely without cell service. On some levels, being away from calls and texts is a good thing, but I am always afraid of having a crash when I’m out riding by myself and being unable to get help, and Apple’s new Emergency SOS feature seems like the perfect solution to that.

Of course, there are already GPS trackers like Spot that you pay a monthly or yearly fee for and which uses satellites to track your location and allow you to get emergency help in remote areas. They work well, and the tech is established, but it’s not cheap, and it’s easy to forget a little device like that when you’re just going out for a rip on the bike. Conversely, how often do you go anywhere without your phone?

Emergency SOS will walk you through how to use it, including explaining its limitations.Photo: Apple

To use Emergency SOS, first, your phone will help you point it in the right direction to pick up a satellite signal. Then it will allow you to send text-only messages to emergency responders. These messages will take much longer to send than typical SMS messages, and Apple is shrinking them down to around one-third the size of a normal SMS, so there are some automatic prompts that your phone will ask to prioritize the messages you send. Cool, right?

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Is it foolproof? No. Were I going on a long trip where I was likely to be without cell service for extended periods, I’d still use something like a Spot tracker as the first line of defense. Still, on shorter, closer-to-home rides, this feels like another awesome way to mitigate the risks of riding a motorcycle, and mitigation is the best anyone can do.

The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus will be available for pre-order on Friday, September 9, with the 14 set to ship on September 16 and the Plus on October 6. Prices start at $799 for the 14 and $899 for the 14 Plus. The Pro versions will cost $999 and $1,099 respectively.